Pest control

[Anonymous Poster]

Can't afford to use Orkin, so what's the best way to keep the basement and the rest of the house free from bugs? I've seen a lot of millipedes, crickets, spiders, etc.

 

[cowboydoc]

Along the same subject does anyone have a way to kill boxelder bugs? They invade us every year. It's a fortune to have the guys come out and spray for them and you can't buy the stuff they use over the counter.

 

[TerryinMD]

Live with them!!

I do not think that there is any long term effective way of ridding your house of the danged pests (choose one).

Cut all of your boxelder trees down!!! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Silly boxelder bugs just like to have a comfy warm place to hide.

I'd be interested in a long term solution for boxedler bugs myself.

Terry

 

[cowboydoc]

Now also what does a boxelder tree look like?

 

[TerryinMD]

I was being faciteous about getting rid of the trees.

A boxelder has leaves that are similar to a maple tree. I believe that they are in the same family. They typically do not grow very straight and the young branches are similar in color to JD green. I'm too lazy to look for a picture and copy it for posting.

Why boxelder bugs are called boxelder bugs escapes me. The darned things never hang around the tree, just on my house!!!!

Terry

P.S. - Hmmmm... I wonder if they start their life out on the boxelder tree. Maybe a little research is due.

 

[TxBilly]

Try this site:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2106.html
They do start with the boxelder tree!

 

[cowboydoc]

Bill,
Thanks for the site. I'm going to take some pics of my trees and see if you guys can tell me if they are boxelder trees. I've looked at all the trees around and can't ever see any bugs on the trees, just my house and barn.

 

[Richard]

How about ideas on Lady bugs & wasps?

Every winter we will end up with, not thousands, but THOUSANDS and thousands.

We can literally take vacume, fill canister up and couple days later, another canister full. It's amazing. I even called University of Tennessee to see if they could use them for research. I was informed (during last years crop) that they already had their fill. I don't much care for the logic of they are good for you. Not in this quantity.

On the wasp front, I suppose they are hibernating in the logs somewhere that has access to inside & they come in for the warmth. We always seem to have 5 or 6 acting very drugged hanging around a certain window. Vacume them up, couple hours later, 5 or 6 more hanging around at same window. We now let them go for awhile until they build up and it's worth the effort to get them! Used to get all bent out of shape at sight of first one!

Simply too many too often to make such a fuss over now.

Richard

 

[cowboydoc]

Richard,
I get the ladybugs too but a good stout spraying of dursban knocks them out but it doesn't touch those dang boxelders.

 

[Richard]

Dursban huh? (writing down so-as not to forget)

Do/would you spray prior to er..ah.. ...visitations...or during, thereby evicting them out?

(presumption is prior)

Spray entire house? (I suppose answer is yes, unless I know entrance location...which I don't)

Thanks
Richard